It Started In The Nursery
by CurbItKirby
Summary: "I just want to check on her one more time." Jolene whispered as she moved toward their dozing daughter's door on tipped toes. Peter Hale/OFC ONESHOT


It Started In The Nursery

"I just want to check on her one more time." Jolene whispered as she moved toward their dozing daughter's door on tipped toes. The house was in its typically loud state, but so far nothing had managed to wake the sleeping two week old Roxanna from her nap.

Peter grinned and grabbed the lithe woman around the waist. Steering her away from the pink painted door, he shook his head firmly. With his face nuzzled into the smooth pale skin of her neck, the man chuckled, "Nope. Not again. Once was cute, twice was fine, three times is just overprotective."

"But she's so tiny," The redhead cooed, smiling warmly up at her mate. He nuzzled his nose against hers for a moment, enjoying the way she felt pressed against his chest. One arm wrapped loosely around his shoulders, the other gently resting on his hip. It had been a while since they had gotten any privacy. The pack was curious about and already completely enamored with their newest member…Which meant neither he nor Jolene had been getting much sleep as of late. While he loved his family, it seemed whenever they got the chance they were either crawling into bed with them or waking up Roxanna. Peter trailed his thumb along the bag under one of her hazel brown eyes. Amusement twinkled in them, uncaring or perhaps unaware of his concern.

The man just scoffed at her. "She'll be fine, Jo. Go get some sleep. You remember sleep, right? That thing you used to do before she was born."

"Vaguely," The woman replied with a hint of a pout. Peter swooped down to bite her lower lip, earning a shove. He didn't so much as stumble, much to her displeasure. She scowled up at him, but there was no real heat behind it. "Don't get fresh with me, mister. I know all your tricks."

"Really? All of them? Even that one with-"

The quiet rumbling of the pups in the other room, along with his brother's voice telling them to quiet down, interrupted their flirting. Of course, this meant Harris was being twice as loud as any of the children. Peter smiled and cupped her cheeks. Hazel eyes peered up at him, a hint of a smile tugged at her full lips. He could practically count every freckle that was smattered along her nose and cheeks. Slipping his hands down to her hips, Peter smiled to himself.

Admittedly, they hadn't expected to be parents so soon. He had thought they would have more time. More time to themselves, more time to indulge in selfish joys and sinful pleasures before they settled down. It was expected of them, his older brother claimed they were still in the honeymoon phase.

Peter decided he really liked that phase. Jolene walked her fingers up his chest with a seductive smile. He grinned back impishly and leaned down, hovering his lips above her own a moment. "Maybe I could give you a refresher?" He murmured, enjoying the whisper of contact between her bottom lip and his top one.

And then she was gone. The redhead cackled as she opened the door behind him. "Dweeb."

Huffing, he followed her into the nursery. His mate stood hovering where she could usually be found, over the crib with a pleased- no, _proud_ smile on her lips and a look of pure adoration in her eyes as she peered down at their daughter. Peter leaned against the door frame, not taking his eyes off her curvy frame as she leaned over to give Roxanna a kiss. A smirk twitched at his lips as she scented the little one, but he did his best to look unimpressed when she looked up at him.

"Mama wolf instincts sated?" Peter asked with an arched brow.

Sheepishly, she nodded as she sauntered over. Jolene quickly scented him as well, rubbing their temples together and earning a faint growl of approval from her mate. With a hint of submissive softness, she agreed. "Yes. They are." She kissed him deeply, enjoying the taste of his mouth and the firm press of his body's for a moment before pulling away. "Thank you for dealing with my craziness."

With a heavy, and frankly overdramatic, sigh, the man stepped away from his mate. Somewhat sternly, he pointed at his redhead, "Sleep."

Jolene said nothing, just smirked and followed him out of the nursery, casting only one look back at the dozing Roxanna before Peter steered her away. The clock he passed by said it was nearly eight thirty.

The fire started at 1:57 am. His arm was wrapped loosely around Jolene's waist, the pair of them sleeping soundly when the sound of breaking glass roused them from their sleep. Peter glanced around the dark room as Jolene sat up.

It took him a moment to realize where it had come from. It had come over the baby monitor. Jo's sleep filled gaze peered up at him as he leapt from the bed, "Babe, wha-"

"Stay here," He growled, eyes flashing yellow as his fangs elongated.

Of course, those words had his mate out of the bed, but he locked the door firmly behind him. Heat hit him like a brick wall as he raced down the hall. Smoke began to bellow up the stairs as flames prickled at his bare skin. Coughing, Peter shoved one arm over his mouth as he jumped down stairs. The smoke was dense, and for a moment he blacked out, cracking his head on the table on his way to the floor.

When he opened his eyes, the house was completely engulfed. Vaguely, he could hear screams, but they were weak. The quiet cries of his nieces and nephews, he realized. He started to his feet and stumbled toward the nursery.

His heart stopped at the smoke wafting out from under the door. When he realized there were no cries coming from Roxanna, when he couldn't hear her heartbeat, he couldn't bear to open the door. Peter just stared at it before slowly backing away.

It was Jolene's shrill scream that broke him from his stupor. He ran for the staircase only to find it completely swamped with fire. It was trying to claw his way up the steps that got him burned. The flames licked and bit at his pale skin until it was charred black. Jolene continued to cry out the loudest, her voice sharp and clear calling his name and for Roxanna.

The staircase gave way, collapsing to the ground as Peter reached the middle. A startled howl ripped from his throat as he crashed onto his side. Unable to heal and unable to move, he let out a whine as he listened to some of the scattered sounds of the children falling from their beds. The wails of his mate as the fire finally reached their bedroom. The fire bit and clawed at the left side of his body as he lay prone. Squeezing his eyes shut, he repressed the urge to draw into himself.

Slowly, Jolene's voice became faint and Peter knew she was gone. They were both gone. They were all gone.


End file.
